Being a serious fan of one sound can lead you down a path of repetition. Until you come across another sound that snags your attention and grabs hold of your momentum, shifting it over to join their party. It’s normal; it’s a fact of music. But what happens when another path appears neatly between those sounds?
With the help of New Jersey’s The Static Sea, a new path has appeared and answers that question loud and clear; snuggled tightly between Vampire Weekend, Agesandages and Radiohead a path of acoustic riffs, floating vocals and distorted ambient fadeouts bridges song after song for their second release Third Parties.
With the grace and precision of a coffee hyped street musician, the sound pouring out of Third Parties is infectious and simply delightful. They have taken their self-titled EP and matured, all while staying true to their sound. Though Static Sea is a duo in studio, their talents are large enough for a full ensemble. Crafting their original sound on their second release, song after song impresses and hooks into your inner audiophile like a deep sea fishhook, there’s no being let go. Tracks like “Beyond My Will” and “Whatever You Want” scream conspiracy. There is seemingly no way just two people could create such an eclectic dynamic sound. But alas, they did and to that we must bow our heads and say well done. Speaking volumes to the talents of Brandon Kleiber and Jimmy Francis as we journey track by track through Third Parties we are continually met with diversity and originality. Some tracks reach to a Latin beat while others span into African drums. The chance taken by the duo to incorporate such a diverse style would prove devastating and distracting if done by anyone else at this juncture in their career, but without a doubt it has paid off for them. Upbeat acoustic indie-rock at its finest, Third Parties will make you fall in love with indie all over again.
The path is clear up ahead. Though paved by quick associations, The Static Sea’s road is unique and fun. This record is one that will be looked back on years from now when they are a regular on radios across the country, it confidently establishes a foundation for a great future. An album like this needed to happen soon, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Grab your friends and take a refreshing road trip down Third Parties, it won’t disappoint.